(no subject)

[ewt]

I want one of these. Um, when I get the space. And, um, I suspect I can make one rather than having it shipped from Cali-bluddy-fornia, really. Need small-ish conventional insulated (or could try to insulate it myself) mesh-bottomed compost bin, and larger barrel to put around it, and glass/pyrex/acrylic/whatever dome (ie inverted bowl) to put on top that just fits over the ouside of the smaller bin. Stick a handle on the dome somewhere for ease of lifting it to stir and so on, put the small compost bin in the big barrel with some soil in the bottom, fill the outsides up with soil (preferably with worms), plant your plants around the edges of the dome, and away you go. The picture has strawberries and flowers but anything would probably be alright as long as it likes rich soil.

Oh, yeah, and some kitchen scraps to compost. Duh.

Comments

[mstevens.livejournal.com]

I was expecting this link to be a cat.

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

I want one of those, too, but will probably wait until after uni.

Probably. Maybe.

[edwards.livejournal.com]

Oooh, a Scap Eater!

(Perhaps you could offer to proofread their website in exchange for one :D )

[karen2205]

You ought to be able to get a 'normal' compost bin from your local council either free or for a nominal charge, if that's of any use to you in building yourself one of these contraptions:)

[juliet]

Aw, man. I want one too! Shipping from California really not on, though, no :-(

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

If I have any luck with making one, I shall disclose full details. It really shouldn't be too difficult; just a matter of finding the right size containers.

I do like the concept of excess water in the composting section evaporating, condensing and being used to water plants rather than seeping down through all the composting stuff and leaching the nutrients out and making the compost too wet. And as it is self-contained I would be able to take it with me when I eventually move, rather than having to start a new compost heap. This is a major advantage, to me - the next place I live will hopefully be somewhere with a garden and somewhere I will stay for at least the next three years and maybe a bit longer, but will be far from being any sort of permanent home for me.

[justinep.livejournal.com]

Way cool.

Btw, while we're on the subject of composing...

Colleague/friend I stayed with in Toronto said you could put (disposable) nappies and meat and eggs and stuff in your 'recyclable' stuff with your usual veggies and stuff. He said not nail clippings or hair, though.

In Amsterdam/(the Netherlands?) they give you bags made of potatos to put your veggie stuff in, with no meat or fish or whatever allowed and certainly no plastic.

Ok, I'm being too lazy to google for the answer, but ... what's up with what I was told about Toronto's recycling?!

[ewtikins.livejournal.com]

Sounds to me like they're trying to keep anything that will break down out of the landfills (where it can't break down). I don't know. I may try to find out more, but my parents live in Oshawa and it may be different there.

You can get the compostable bags in the UK. I've considered I might get some when I start composting - it would be useful to keep a small one in a bucket and then just be able to put that straight into the compost bin, instead of having to clean soemthing out every time. However, I suspect these will be beyond my means.